By Maggie Sullivan

Cultural exploration means different things to different people. For some it’s wandering museums and galleries; for others, complete immersion into a language or theology. Where your journey takes you depends only upon what interests you and how deep you want to go. Here, depending on the type of trip you opt for, is what you can expect.

History
If you get a chill up your spine just standing in the spot where Admiral Nelson declared victory or General Lee acknowledged defeat, then a trip spotlighting history might be perfect for you. Much like a walking lecture, history tours usually involve smaller groups, organized by interest and led by a very knowledgeable guide. And instead of following, say, the complete rise and fall of the Roman Empire, tours focus on a particular region, event, or even person, making things a little easier to digest.

Archeology
Archeological tours, led by renowned scholars, give you in-depth insight into ancient civilizations by studying the ruins they left behind. What looks like rubble to some people provides a wealth of information about the intellectual order of these societies to more knowledgeable guides. Examine Egyptian petroglyphs dating back to 4000 B.C., explore the battle site of Troy in Turkey, or even visit current excavations, where you might bear witness to a new discovery.

Cultural Immersion
Of course, if you are eager for even more involvement, you might want to consider language-immersion courses, home stays, or volunteer vacations. Don’t worry, your conjugation of verbs doesn’t have to be perfect; any attempt to communicate with people in their own tongue brings quick smiles and fast friendship. Class-oriented immersion is more structured than a home stay, but the focus is the same: language use and interaction. Volunteer vacations are concerned almost entirely with personal interaction and are a great way to get deeply involved with a culture, as long as you don’t mind paying to be put to work on your vacation.

Maggie Sullivan is an assistant editor at iExplore.